Rainy days and Mondays

don't always get me down. But today it is dreary. Not to mention, I was back to work at the "paid daughter" position. I decided to keep the position, no it is not really making us much money, but if I don't find other employment, well, I will ask for more clients and at least I will have some kind of job.
Tim and I are both trying to get our strength back after this horrid flu. It is so draining, on sunny days it is better, but then we do too much and are beat.
Unless I get on the stick, I won't be posting my March socks.........sigh. I will just be late with posting on the blog for the knit along. I did get a pair done, but just don't have the energy to do the camera thing.
The littles were here for the weekend, Friday thru to Sunday afternoon. My Kendra no longer wants to go back home, talk about breaking my heart! We will get them again next Friday, it is much much easier for them to be here 2 nights, it gives them a chance to play outside and have a routine. They sang in the youth choir at church, every word. OK Tristan did not sing every word, but he had not practiced with them and the song director did not want to "make him" sit down, he just stood up there and watched Kendra. Colee sang her heart too and played the tamborine on the first number! Was her Grandpa proud?!
So off to get chef's salads for supper............tired of the same old things...
Knit on!

Long recovery

I finally feel better. Going on Day 2! I have a few errands to run this morning, and then home to make supper and go out to Knit Nite!
I have missed my knitting gals!
Here on the homefront, the big, big news is that we have purchased the tickets to go to Las Vegas to be able to attend the May 31st wedding!! We leave on the 29th and return on the 3rd of June.
Now just to hope that Mom and Tim can get along, sigh. Since Mom has helped get us there she seems to be acting rather childish lately, "I paid for the tickets(ok we put them on your credit card....), so I get the window seats on the plane. So I will be having a clear view of the asile.
Ok, I will just bring sock knitting, lol. you can't diminish my joy of going!
I hope to finish up Charlie Ann's sweater today or tomorrow and get it in the mail to California!
California here I come!!!
Off to get the mundane chores out of the way for today!
Knit On.

Tomorrow is Easter?

with 12 plus inches of new snow on the ground?? Michigan sure can be fun.
Flu bug is on the way out of the household, all that remains is the "tireds". And a little coughing.
I am getting excited as we are getting the Littles today! I have missed them so.
I will be getting the Easter Baskets ready this morning, before they get here and then tuck them away, to be discovered tomorrow morning!
Speaking of which, we plan on being at the Easter Sunrise service. And taking the makings for a breakfast. I will be putting together a "strata" a first for me...never made one of those before. My friend Rachel who lost her husband recently, will also be helping. I am happy for her help and happy to give her "something" to do. The firsts without a spouse of many years is only a hardship I can imagine.
Started the sleeves of Charlie Ann's sweater last night, so it should be completed soon. Then mailed out to her for those cool desert times.
Happy Easter to All.
Knit on.

working on Charlie Ann's sweater

I picked up the stitches for the hood. I am liking how it is going.
Without a diagonisis from the doctor, I have decided that I too have the flu...the coughing is all but gone, not a temp, but I am cold..I slept today til 12:45 and that is just not like me.
I am laying low hoping to get this over sooner.
Today is my birthday, my pastor called to wish me Happy Birthday, nice. I called him back and he did not recognize my voice...he is worried about me. I told him if this is how 55 feels, I will go back to 54!
So just a little entry for today, so you readers will know I am doing ok. Just ok.
Knit on.

Camp StitchALot is over for 2008

Just fond memories are all that remain. What a wonderful time I had at this unique retreat.
With the exception of Tim's escapades, he came down with the flu and had several self-made crisis, it was a great time.
My sister and I spent most of the 5 days in the hotel, only going out for a couple of meals. Applebees, Lucky's Steak house and Big Boy. Other than that, it was a very intense weekend!
On the way to camp, we stopped at Michaels, and I found a lilac boucle yarn and the sweetest little pattern, for Charlie Ann to have a "Grandma made" sweater. Just a little garter stitch hooded cardigan. So while I was at cross stitch camp, much of my time before camp(it officially did not start until 7 pm on Friday) and after(officially ended at noon on Sunday) knitting.
Saturday morning found me in Betsy Stinner's Amish class. She lectured about the Amish lifestyle. She always does loads of research and has the most entertaining class. My kit includes a tiny basket made by an Amish woman which Bets met and commissioned to make them for her. The kit includes the floss, and fabric to make "smalls". These are a scissor fob, a needle book and a pocket to hold scissors. These then are all kept in the basket.
There were about 5 boxes of cast off charts.........and yes, I brought some of them home with me. As I learned to say this weekend, "I just couldn't help myself".
Coming home was an experience. Finally Tim agreed to come and pick me up in DeWitt, many of you do not know that he absolute hates me going to camp. Never mind that I have been going since 2000. He hates it. He is always "ugly" about my going, but truthfully, it costs us nothing. Nada, my sister always gives this to me as a gift. A wonderful gift.
To say that the ride home was a strain would be an exaggeration. But I will continue to go, as long as I can. I believe it is healthy for couples to have individual interests. Enough said on this negative subject.
So I am home again and questioning my choice to be in the home care. In the long/short, it is not cost effective for me to be doing this job. With the price of gas and the clients either not being there or changing their minds about how long I should be there...........I managed to bring home a whopping 7 dollars for 2 weeks. And this did not include the cost of my gas. This was after the state reduced my unemployment for what I had earned. What a bug-a-boo.
So I come home to Tim having the flu, but on day 3. While at camp, I got the coughs. Last night my rib cage was so sore I was sure I needed to have an ace bandage on me to aleviate the pain when coughing. Today the coughing is subsiding, but now I have a temp. But that was after doing all the running to get the car insurance changed and the tags for the two cars. Tomorrow a few more bills to pay and then just rest.
I did have a good time at my camp, but Tim managed to reduce my joy with all the phone calls and problems..this too shall pass.
NOW, I am focused on Knit Away Day and of course my upcoming trip to Nevada and California.
This post is very rambling, but that is the way my brain is thinking right now.
I am off to read a little...tomorrow I will hope to put the hood on the sweater, the body is done, only sleeves and the hood to go. The pattern has the hood sewn on after knitting, I think I will just pick up the stitches at the neckline and graft the top to finish. Then on to the sleeves. I wanted to have it done by Easter, but no way will it reach her on time. They will still be surprised!
Knit On.

Woosh!

That's how my week went. Nothing particular, just seemed way too "busy". I did not seem to accomplish anything much out of the ordinary. I think I am becoming unraveled. Not rattled, just not quite as organized as I once was. I need to reclaim that!
I am leaving for camp on Wednesday and I have a bucket load of stuff to do here at home and plenty of other things dragging me out of the house--daily.
So, maker of lists that I am, I have a list. Detailed. Will she or won't she complete the list before Wedneday morning? Stay posted.
In the mean time.........
Knit On.

Sunshine, lollipops, rainbows everywhere!

Ok maybe not quite, but it has been a good week.
My friend Kathy has told me that she has a job-God does provide.
I hope this job is what she needs, it is a major change in a career direction for her, but she is happy with that!
I continue on in Home Care, I really do like it. It is varied and doesn't seem to get stale, ok it is only week 2, but in that it involves different every day, I like it.
Tim is super excited and that is saying it mildly, about going out for the wedding. He even checked out several books from the library on information in that area. I gently reminded him that Mom will be going also, and she might tire out if we try to do too much. And the main reason for the trip is to see Douglas. How that makes my heart sing, "to see Douglas".
On the Knit Away Day, Cherrie is really getting it together for the prizes!! She is organizing ideas for how exactly they will be dispersed. Her personal goal is to have every one leave the day with a "prize"!
My Camp is in just over a week-ackkkkkkk! I have my name tag to stitch and a home to polish up before I can get in that car and leave with my brother-in-law, who is my chauffeur to DeWitt. I will be on the scenic route in that I will be going from here to DeWitt, spending the night. Then on to Davison. I am still not sure of the arrangements to get me home. But I hope they will. Talk about traveling blind!
So off to knit, I am making premie hats. FOW handed out a directions sheet if we wanted to help with this project. There are 7 sizes, so I challenged my self to make the 7, of course. I have 2.5 done so far. I would like to have them finished by this Thursday as I will not be there next. I am going to change to double points instead of the circulars.......seems to me that it might go more quickly for me. I still fight those dangling needles which aren't being used.
I want to try and get a sweater knit for Charlie Ann. I know I can not get one done for Easter, but I sure would like to try! Yesterday I bought her a tiny bunny with a back pack. I figure Grandma could tuck a bill or two in there!
So I need to get that ready to send out early next week. Much to do!
Knit On.

Miracles Happen Every Day

Some of you know, my son Douglas does not live here in Michigan.
Earlier this week, my mom received an invitation to a wedding.
On the invite was an email address and a phone number.
I did not receive an invitation.
Ellen(My youngest sister, the one living at Mom's presently with Husband, two kids, dog and cat-anothere story there) scanned the invite and the envelope and sent it to me.
First I emailed a friend who lives in LasVegas, asking about Henderson NV-where it stated the wedding would be.
She emailed me back.
Ok, then I sent an email to the address.......it came back undeliverable 3 times.
This ticked me off, I was suspicious that Mom was being scammed for money for a wedding present.
Especially as we had not heard from Douglas since October 2005. At which time there was a mention, maybe my girlfriend is pregnant. And a plea for money, which I was able to scrounge up, without asking Tim.
We have heard nothing................nada............blank for all this time. My heart grew sadder and sadder, especially at holidays and on his birthday.
So in my Ticked off state, I called the number. "Hello" This is AnnMarie is Douglas there....... "OH, I knew you would call. I told Doug you would"

My boy is alive! I have been praying feverishly, as have several others.
Long story short, I talked to Deja for about an hour and a half...........Charlie Ann Mayhew is 19 months old. I AM A NEW GRANDMA!!!!!!
They had sent a packet to our Holland address, but we haven't been there for over a year. Hopefully the US Mail will return it to them.
Yesterday they next day FedEx-ed a packet to me...........it came today.
After crying for an hour-sobbing with joy...........I called the number again.
I talked to my Douglas for over an hour. He wants only for a wedding gift for me to be able to come to the wedding.
Ok--Tim does not know anything yet..............I don't want to tell him and disappoint him. Doug is his "boy" and it broke his heart as much as mine.
Today Tim was at a conference for church with the Pastor.
I took the envelope and waited in the church parking lot for over an hour for their return.
When they pulled in, they both looked at me puzzled.
I raised the FedEx packet---concern crossed both faces.............
I told them, "Miracles happen every day."
Then I pulled out the picture of Douglas and Charlie Ann..................with Spanky(my cat, who Doug took when I married Tim-he's allergic, but that's another story)
Tim started to cry................so while I shortened the story. He knows, as I do, that Douglas is alive.
Douglas is doing well. A good parent and a good provider.
The above picture is but one of the many I received. From Birth to 2/24/08 when this one was taken. It is the the first one Tim saw....

Words can not tell you all how happy I am ...this is such a wonderous thing that God has given Tim and I, and our family.

My Littles are here and that is another Joy. Life can be and is good.